Adjustable shelf structure



Nov. 19, 195 7 F.'A. SCHUMACHER 2,813,635

ADJUSTABLE .SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t!) f\/ IV u r 5d co O (u 8 m N m O x 52 N u.

(D N m 2 K1 (D N O N N N N T m F5 2 N O o a N .Q n O N INVENTOR. E FRANK. A. SCHUMACHER BY I Z,

. HIS ATTORNEY ADJUSTABLE SHELF STRUCTURE Frank A. Schumacher, Erie, Pa., .assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 21, 1953, Serial'No. 399,387

.6 Claims. (Cl. 211-146) The present invention relates to adjustable shelf structures and more particularly to rotatable shelves having provision for vertical adjustment of the height hereof.

To increase .the accessibility of the contents of a refrigerator or other cabinet it is sometimes desirable that the cabinet be provided with shelves of the rotatable type. Through the rotation .of such shelves any portion thereof may be brought to the front of the cabinet to allow the ready removal of the foodstuffs or other articles stored .thereon. In addition to the shelves being rotatable, it is often also desirable that they be vertically adjustable so that the spacing .therebetween can be varied. In fact this vertical adjustment is of prime importance if the articles to be stored vary considerably in size and height. Such variation is particularly true .in the food- .stulfs stored in household refrigerators .and therefore it is most desirable that these shelves be vertically adjustable as Well as rotatable.

Heretofore various vertically adjustable, rotatable shelf structures have been provided, one such structure being shown in the copending application of Peter E. Davey and Le Roy R. Patterson, Jr. Serial No. 399,384, filed concurrently herewith and assigned .to the .assignee of the present invention. Specifically the Davey .et al. application describes and claims a shelf structure of this type particularly adapted for use in refrigerator cabinets. The structure includes generally semicircular shelves which are releasably retained in a normal angular posi- .tion but which may be rotated so as to bring any portion thereof .to the front of the cabinet. Further the shelves are vertically .adjustable both with respect to each other and with respect .to the top and bottom of the cabinet. They are, however, normally locked against vertical adjustment. A manual turning force applied to .the shelf automatically releases .the angular movement restraining means holding it in its normal positi n, but an operating member must be separately actuated to release the vertical adjustment lock. The member which must be operated to permit adjustment of the shelves is completely separate from the angular movement restraining means and may be operated no matter .What the angular positionofthe shelf normal or otherwise.

This Davey et .al. structure has given generally satisfacto y results. However due to the aforesaid separation bet-ween the angular movement restraining means and-thevertical'adjustment control means, I have found that that structure is susceptible of improvement and simplification. Specifically it would .be desirable if all the positioning control means were combined into a single member. This would not-onlyvrender the vertical adjustment somewhat easier and safer to accomplish, but also would provide a structure simpler and less expensive to manufacture. Further it would be desirable to incorporate in a rotatable shelf structure of that type means fol-guarding against jamming .of the shelves as a result ,of over-tall articles being placed thereon.

Therefore .it is an .object of my invention .to provide a new and improved vertically adjustable rotatable shelf J structure in which means are provided for restraining ate-tit the angular movement of theshelf from a .predetermined normal position and for contro ling the vertical adjustment of the shelf, which means are combined into a single position control member.

It is another object of my invention to provide a new and improved vertically adjustable rotatable .shelfstructure in which automatically releasable means for holding the shelf in a normal position and means forreleasing ,the shelf from a lock preventing vertical adjustment are both provided by a single member.

It .is another object of my invention to provide .a new and improved verticallyadjnstable rotatable shelf structure in which means are provided to guard against jamming .of the shelves .as .a result .of over-tall articles being placed thereon.

It is a further r bjfictof my inventionto provide a new and improved vertically adjustable rotatable shelf structure which is pleasing in appearance, easy and foolproof :to operate, but yet inexpensive to fabricate .and assemble.

In carrying my .inventioninto effect I provide a threaded shaft member and on this :member I thread a collar or hearing member. Positioned above and rotatably supported by the collar member is a rotatable shelf which has a supporting hub port on surrounding the shaft and resting on the collar member. glnorder to prevent rotation .of the collar member with the hub portion ,of the shelf so -as not to cause vertical adjustment of the shelf, disengageable locking means are provided which engage both the collar and shaft members for normally preventing rotation of the collar member. According to my invention the means for disengaging this locking means are combined with means "-for :releasably restraining rotation of the Shelf from a predetermined angular position relative .to the collar member. In other words, a single means for member normally retains the :shelf at a predetermined position-on the =collar unless ;a manual rotating force is applied thereto, and also serves as the actuating means for disengaging the locking means from one of the collar and shaft members. In one preferred e bodiment, this single ontrol means comprises a-spring biasedlever which is mounted on :the shelf and which has a stop portion adapted to engage the collar member .or some member mounted thereon so .as to releasably wretain the shelf in a normal angular position on the collar. The spring bias of the lever is such that a manual force applied to the shelf automatically frees the lever :stop portion from the collar :member and therebyoausesrotation of the shelf on the, collar. Further, the stop portion is movable against the locking member upon the application of a manual force to another portion ,of the lever. This latter action disengages' the locking means from the shaft and allows rotation of the .collar thereby :to adjust the vertical position ,of the shelf.

In accordance With my invention ,1 also provide in this preferred embodiment a means which guards against jamming of the shelves on over-tall articles placed thereon. This means .comprises a depending edge formed on the forward portion of the shelf, which edge will not clear any over-tall articles placed on the shelf immediately therebelow as the lower shelf is swung back from an outward position to the normal position thereof.

The novel features whichare believed to be characteristic of my invention are set forth .with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and mode of operation may .be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is .a fragmentary elevation View, partially in section, of a refrigerator cabinet including a preferred embodiment of my shelf structure;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing a portion of the shelf structure;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the shelf structure of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown therein a refrigerator cabinet 1 having a storage compartment 2 to which access is provided by means of a door 3. Mounted on the bottom wall 4 of the storage compartment 2 is a vertically extending threaded shaft 5 which forms part of my new and improved shelf assembly. On this threaded shaft are mounted a plurality of adjustable shelves 6 so that they are both rotatable around the shaft and vertically adjustable therealong. In fact, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, my invention deals specifically in the manner in which the shelves are so mounted. I

As shown, the shelves are of a generally semicircular v shape so as to fit closely along the inner liner 7 of the cabinet defining the storage compartment 2. Preferably the front edges 8 of the shelves are spaced somewhat from the inner wall 9 of the door 3 in order to provide room for a plurality of door shelves 10 mounted thereon. It should be understood, however, that the door shelves 10 may be omitted and the forward edges 8 of the shelves extended further toward the inner wall of the door. In any case, no matter where the forward portion of the shelves are terminated, these forward portions will be readily accessible upon the opening of the door 3. However in order to provide easy access to the rear portion of the shelves, i. e. the rounded portions of the shelves as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, the shelves 6 must be rotated around the threaded shaft 5.

As will be more clearly seen in Fig. 3, in order to accomplish this rotation each shelf 6 includes a hub or sleeve portion 11 which surrounds the threaded shaft. Specifically each of the hub portions includes a more or less tubular section surrounding the shaft and an outwardly extending flange section 12 formed at the bottom of the tubular section. The hub 11 is not mounted in threaded engagement with the shaft, but rather may be rotated freely therearound, and if desired, a nylon or other bushing 13 may be placed between the tubular section of the hub and the shaft 5 in order to facilitate this rotation. The shelf frame members 14 may be attached to the hub 11 in any suitable manner, as for example to the flange section 12 by the screws 15. The shelf 6 may, of course, alternatively be formed of a solid sheet of material rather than of the frame and wire construction illustrated, and in that case the solid sheet could be attached to the hub by screws 15.

The hub 11 and thereby the shelf 6 is supported on the shaft by means of a collar or hearing 16 which is mounted on the shaft in threaded engagement therewith. The hub, however, is not secured to the collar, but merely rests thereon so as to be freely rotatable. In fact, in order to provide for free rotation of the hub 11 on the collar 16 a washer 17 may be interposed therebetween. This washer may be formed of any suitable material, as for example nylon.

The collar 16 is itself prevented from rotation around the shaft 5 by locking means which engage both it and the shaft. Specifically in my preferred embodiment the locking means comprise a key member 18 which is slidably mounted in a slot 19 in the upper face of the collar and is adapted to engage a longitudinally extending key- ,way 20 provided in shaft 5. This key 18 is biased toward and into the keyway by a spring 21 mounted on a protuberance 22 provided on the collar.

Due to the positive bias applied to the key 18 by spring 21 the collar 16 is prevented from rotation unless a suflicient manual force is applied to the key to withdraw it from the keyway. In order to provide a manual force for disengaging the key 18 from the keyway 20, and also in accordance with my invention to provide a means for normally maintaining the rotatable shelves in their normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I have provided a single positioning control element of member operative to accomplish both of these functions. In my preferred embodiment shown in the diagrams this single positioning control element comprises the lever 23 which is pivotally mounted on the hub 11 by means of a pin 24. The pin 24 and thereby this control lever 23 may be supported by any suitable means, as by the upstanding flanges 25 formed on the upper surface of the outstanding section 12 of the hub (only one flange 25 shown). The control or positioning member 23 includes an actuating portion 26 lying on one side of the pivot pin and an actuated or stop portion 27 lying on the other side of the pivot pin. The stop portion 27, as will now be explained, comprises the means whereby the shelf is normally maintained at a predetermined angular position on the collar and also the means whereby a force is applied directly to the key 18 to disengage from keyway 20.

In order to provide engagement between the locking member of key 18 and the control lever 23, a recess 28 is provided in the upper surface of the key. Further the stop portion 27 of the lever is provided on its outer side with a rounded cam surface which contacts an edge 28a of the recess .as the shelf is moved to a predetermined angular position on the collar 16, i. e. its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This cam surface on the outer side of the stop portion includes a groove 29 which fits over or accommodates the edge 28a of the recess when in that position. The manner in which the groove 29 fits over the edge 28a of the key may be best seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The contact between the edge 28a and the cam surface on lever portion 27 automatically cams the lever portion inwardly no matter in which direction the shelf is rotating as it nears its normal position so that groove 29 automatically engages edge 28a. It should be understood though that other suitable means, for example a flange, could be used in place of a recess to provide the desired edge 28a on key 18.

A spring 30 mounted on the lever pivot pin 24 insures that a positive engagement between the stop portion 27 and the edge 28a of the key 18 will be had. The force applied to the key by the spring 30 through the lever 23 is however not so strong as the force applied to the key by the spring 21. This, of course, means that the mere engagement of the lever or control member 23 with the key will not result in the key being pulled out of the keyway 29. Rather, in order to remove the key from the keyway it is necessary that the housewife push down on the upper or actuating portion 26 of the control member 23. Such a force causes the control member or lever to pivot on the pin 24 and apply a force against the edge 28a of the key. This causes the key or locking member to move outwardly in its groove 19 so that its inner end clears the keyway. There is then no obstruction offered to the rotation of the collar 16 around the shaft 5. In fact once the collar has been so displaced that the key 18 is no longer over the keyway the force applied to lever 23 may be removed and the key will merely ride in contact with the outer surface of the shaft threads until a complete revolution of the collar is made. At that time of course the key will re-enter the keyway unless the manual force is reapplied.

The rotation of the collar 16 results in a change in the vertical positioning of the shelf relative to the threaded shaft 5. Since the collar is threaded to the shaft its rotation thereabout causes it, the collar, to move up or down the shaft; and since the shelf is supported by means of the hub 11 resting on the collar, this causes the shelf itself to move up or down the shaft. In other words to change the vertical position of the shelf on the shaft, it is necessary only to bring the shelf to the position shown earne t thread, single pitch type, but if itis desired toprovide additional bearing surface between the collar and the shaft, other threads, as for example a single thread,

double .pitch arrangement, may be used. This latter thread would also result in a greateraxial displacement of the shelf for asingle turn of the collar.

It should be noted that since the lever 23 provides a 1 positive engagement between the key and .the shelf hub '11, theshelf will also rotate with the collar. Even if the force applied to lever 23 is removed, spring '30 willmaintain the engagement between the lever and the key and thereby insure the simultaneous rotation of the shelf and the collar. Once the key has cleared the keyway, the

.rotating force for turning .the collar may actually be applied to the shelf, and-will be transmitted therefrom to the collar by the lever. More-simply, turning the shelf will also turn the collar once the key is disengagedfrom the keyway so that the vertical adjustmentmay be readily accomplished. If, however, the turning force is applied directly to the collar, the engagement of the lever with .the key will .prevent any undesired movement of the shelf relative to the collar; rather it will rotate in conjunction with .the collar.

As mentioned above, the control member 23 also serves, in accordance with my invention, as a means for releasably retaining the shelf 6 in its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. More exactly it serves as a means for releasably engaging the shelf with the collar upon the shelfls being in its normal position. It is, of course, desirable that some automatically releasable means be provided for that purpose in order to prevent any undesired rotating or swinging of the shelves around the shaft. For example if no such means were provided, it would be possible for the shelves to swing around .due to the force transmitted to the cabinet upon the closing of the door, so that the shelves would hang into the .door or spill their contents, etc. Hence, according to my invention the control member is adapted .to releasably engage the shelf with the collar or some member mounted thereon. Specifically, in my preferred embodiment the control member engages the shelf with the key member 18.

When the hub 11 is in its predetermined normal .position with respect to the collar 16, the groove 29 of the stop portion 27 of control member 23 fits over the edge 28a, vof the key 18. This fitting of the key edge into-the groove provides a force or more accurately provides a stop which tends to restrain the movement of the shelf relative to the collar 16. In other Words unless some force is applied to the shelf this action between the key edge 28a and the lever groove 29 is sufiicient to restrain the shelf from motion. The edges of the groove 29 are however rounded so that it can slip off the edge 28a when a manual rotating force is applied to the shelf by the housewife. Specifically if a manual rotating force is applied to the shelf, the restraining force supplied by the spring 30 tending to maintain the key edge and the groove in contact will be automatically overcome causing the lever groove 29 to move off edge 28a. This eliminates the positive engagement between the hub 11 and the collar 16 and thereby automatically frees the shelf for rotation on the collar.

The action between the lever 23 and the key 18 thus tends to releasably maintain the shelf in its predetermined normal angular position with respect to the collar 16; or in other words this action releasably restrains the shelf from movement from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Moreover as set forth above, when the shelf is in this position the lever 23 may also be used as a means for disengaging the key 18 from the keyway 20. By so disengaging the key, the collar 16 is freed for ,articles being placed thereon.

drawings.

h e de i n about th sha t s tha rve tisa filllti ment o the he ay b rmade- 'Ihn i will b seen that through y invention I fi e sprout! a Med ca ly adjustable, rotatable shelf structure .in wh ch a single means or member serves both as the means for releasably retaining the shelf in its normal position and also as a means for. controlling the vertical adjustment of the shelf. The operating means of the structure, incidentally, may be hidden as illustrated .in Fig. 4-.by a decorative shell or housing 31.

As may best be seen in Fig. 1 I havealso provided, ,in accordance with my invention, a means which guards against jamming ofthe shelves 6 as aresult of over-tall Thus at its forward .edge each shelf 6 includesa depending lip {32. Assuming any shelf to be swung to a positionoutward of its normal position shown in Fig. 1, so that foodstuffs may beplacejd thereon the lip 32 on the shelf thereabove will prevent the passage inward of any article which is so tall as that it might cause jamming between the rear portions ,of the shelves. in other words the lip 32 on any shelf prevents jamming of that shelf against any article placed on the shelf or other support immediately Ihcrebelow. Naturally, since the lips 32 are mounted directly on the shelves this anti-jamming safety feature is automatically adjusted upon the vertical adjustment of the shelves. In my preferred embodiment illustrated 'I have also .provided on each shelf ,6 an upwardly extending ,rim v3 3 which extends completely around the upper ,periphery thereof. This upper rim 33 prevents articles from falling off the shelf in case of any displacement thereof .as a result of the turning of the shelf.

It should be understood though .that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown in the In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what at present is considered to be the .preferred embodiment of my invention, but .it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may bemade ,therein without departing from my invention, and I, therefore aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spiritand scopeof my invention.

What I claim .as new and desire to secure ,by Letters Patent .of the United'States is:

1. A vertically adjustable, rotatable shelf structure comprising a threaded shaft, a collar member threaded on said shaft, a rotatable .shelf having a hub portion surrounding said shaft and rotatably supported on said collar, a disengagable locking member mounted on said collar and engaging said shaft for preventing rotation of said collar member, and a single control element mounted on said shelf for releasably restraining rotation of said shelf from a predetermined angular position thereof relative to said collar and for disengaging said locking member from said shaft, said single element being adapted to engage said shelf with said locking member at said normal position of said shelf thereby to releasably restrain an ular movement of said shelf therefrom on said collar and being adapted to free said locking member from said shaft upon a manual force being applied to said element at said normal position of said shelf.

2. A vertically adjustable, rotatable shelf structure comprising a threaded shaft having a longitudinally extending keyway, a collar threaded on said shaft, a rotatable shelf having a hub portion surrounding said shaft and rotatably supported on said collar, a movable locking member mounted on said collar and engaging said keyway to prevent rotation of said collar, and a single positioning control member mounted on said shelf for retracting said locking member from said keyway and for releasably retaining said shelf in a predetermined normal angular position thereof relative to said collar, said positioning member including a stop portion adapted to engage said locking member at said normal position of said shelf thereby to releasably restrain angular movement of said shelf therefrom on said collar, and an actuating portion manually'operable for forcing said stop por tion against said locking member to retract said locking member from said keyway, thereby to allow rotation of said collar on said shaft for varying the axial position of said shelf on said shaft.

3. A vertically adjustable, rotatable shelf structure comprising a threaded shaft having a longitudinally extending keyway, a collar mounted on said shaft, a ro tatable shelf having a hub portion surrounding said shaft and rotatably supported on said collar, a retractable locking member mounted on said collar and engaging said keyway to prevent rotation of said collar, and a single positioning control element mounted on said shelf for retracting said locking member from said keyway and for releasably retaining said shelf in a predetermined normal angular position relative to said collar member, said positioning element including a stop portion adapted to engage said'locking member at said normal position of said shaft thereby to releasably restrain angular movement of said shelf therefrom on said collar, and an actuating portion manually operable for forcing said stop portion against said locking member to retract said locking member from said keyway thereby to allow rotation of said collar on said shaft for varying the axial position of said shelf on said shaft.

4. A vertically adjustable, rotatable shelf structure comprising a threaded shaft having a longitudinally extending keyway, a collar member mounted on said shaft, a rotatable shelf having a hub portion surrounding said shaft and rotatably supported on said collar member, a retractable locking member mounted on said collar member and engaging said keyway to prevent rotation of said collar member, and a single positioning control element for retracting said locking member from said keyway and for releasably retaining said shelf in a predetermined angular position relative to said collar, said positioning element adapted to engage said shelf with one of said members at said normal position of said shelf thereby to releasably restrain angular movement of said shelf therefrom on said collar, and means for manually forcing said element against said locking member to retract said locking member from said keyway thereby to allow rotation of said collar member on said shaft for varying the axial position of said shelf on said shaft.

5. "A vertically adjustable, rotatable shelf structure comprising a threaded shaft having a longitudinal keyway, a collar threaded on said shaft, a shelf having a hub portion surrounding said shaft and rotatably supported on said collar, a movable locking key mounted on said collar and engaging said keyway to prevent rotation of said collar, a first spring biasing said key into said key- 8 way, a single control lever mounted on said hub for retracting said locking key from said keyway and for releasably retaining said shelf in a predetermined normal angular position relative to said collar, said control lever including a stop portion having a groove adapted to engage said locking key at said normal position of said shelf, a second spring biasing said stop portion toward said key thereby to releasably restrain angular movement of said shelf on said collar from said normal position, and means comprising a second portion of said lever for forcing said stop portion against said locking key to overcome the bias of said first spring and to retract said key from said keyway, thereby to permit rotation of said collar on said shaft for varying the axial position of said shelf on said shaft.

6. A vertically adjustable rotatable shelf structure comprising a threaded shaft having a longitudinally extending keyway, a collar threaded on said shaft, a shelf having a hub portion surrounding said shaft and rotatably supported on said collar, a movable locking key slidably mounted on said collar and engaging said keyway to prevent rotation of said collar, a first spring biasing said key into said keyway, a single control lever mounted on said hub portion for retracting said locking key from said keyway and for releasably retaining said shelf in a predetermined normal angular position relative to said collar, said single lever including a stop portion having an arcuate cam surface adapted to contact an edge of said key at the normal position of said shelf, said arcuate surface including a rounded groove adapted to accommodate said key edge at said normal position of said shelf, a second spring biasing said stop portion toward said key to cause said groove to releasably restrain angular movement of said shelf on said collar from said normal position, and means comprising a second portion of said lever for forcing said stop portion against said locking key to overcome the bias of said first spring and to retract said key from said keyway, thereby to permit rotation of said collar on said shaft for varying the axial position of said shelf on said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 353,419 Lamson Nov. 30, 1886 699,889 Morsell May 13, 1902 1,160,108 Hasty Nov. 9, 1915 1,270,350 Watkins June 25, 1918 1,589,847 Hansen June 22, 1926 2,157,400 Cooper May 9, 1939 2,182,003 Roark Dec. 5, 1939 

